Fighting Chance
by Allanna Stone
Summary: Cosette and Eponine were both taken from the innkeeper's abusive home and given a second chance under Jean Valjean's wings.
1. Chapter 1

**Fighting Chance**

**I do not own Les Misérables or any of the songs.**

**SUMMARY:**

**Cosette and Eponine were both taken from the innkeeper's abusive home and given a second chance under Jean Valjean's wings.**

**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS:**

**This little story was inspired by two lovely FanFictions- **_**Les Trésors de Mes Jours d'Automne**_** written by** **Sasha Snape and **_**Le Destin est Immuable**_** written by MidnightWren. I suggest going and checking them out if you like this story.**

The little girl lugged the bucket that she was carrying to the well, shivering in the frigid winter chill. The sight was enough to make Jean Valjean's heart break in two as he watched Fantine's child. The poor woman's money had been in vain, for the young child was thin to the point of appearing sticklike, and her dress was practically falling off her shoulders.

The ex-convict stepped closer with the intention of examining her closer without her knowing, but that plan was foiled by his foot snapping a branch that was laying on the ground.

The sharp crack rang throughout the cold night like a sudden gunshot, and the girl dropped her bucket and cowered behind a large rock.

"Cosette?" called out Jean Valjean. "Hush now, do not be afraid of me; don't hind, show me where you live." He crouched nearby to show her that he meant her no harm. "Mademoiselle, can I help you with your bucket?"

Cosette smiled and nodded. The next thing she knew was that she was being carried by the strong man as he tramped his way through the mush that was called snow. She was shivering less since her had wrapped her in his coat so that his body heat warmed her up. He was also carrying the water bucket, which made cowed the small eight year old girl.

About fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the innkeeper's home, where Jean Valjean was met with a horrific sight.

"Stop that!" he roared loudly, setting Cosette and the bucket down as he strode forwards to seize Thenardier's fist, which was beating a child who looked to be about Cosette's age. The two girls ran for each other and bolted upstairs, where Jean Valjean heard a flimsy lock being put into place. He guessed that they had locked themselves into a room.

"I have come to settle Fantine's 'debts' and take young Cosette away, but I see that you are mistreating another child," he growled angrily.

"My daughter was misbehaving again, monsieur- I must discipline her-" started Thenardier before being hoisted up by the front of his gaudy jacket, where he was looked in the eye by a furious man who looked like he would kill the abusive innkeeper.

"You call starving two children discipline?" hissed Jean Valjean. "Never mind about that- I will take them both away from this horrid place you call a home!"

"You mentioned settling Fantine's debt- where is she, by the matter?" asked the innkeeper's wife, scuttling over from washing a table. She looked tired and had giant bags under her eyes.

"She's dead," answered Valjean in a low voice before crossing himself. The woman gasped and did the same while her husband span at Valjean's feet.

"Good riddance, I say. She didn't pay us for three weeks. I wanted to throw the runt out, but my wife wouldn't hear of it- she claims that the brat can do her hair unlike anyone else… just another excuse for her to run me out of money…" muttered Thenardier.

"Here's 5000 fances- that should pay for both girls!" Valjean threw the money down at the innkeeper's feet before stamping upstairs, where he saw a tiny closet with a broken hinge and hushed whispers coming from inside.

"Cosette?" he called out, knocking on the door. "Come along now; your friend is coming with us."

The door creaked open and Cosette and the other girl crept out. Valjean saw that they both had matted hair, wore rags and that their feet were bare.

"Cosette told me that you carried the bucket," pepped the dark haired girl, looking up at Valjean with dark brown eyes. "She also told me that you carried her."

"That, I did," he chuckled as he got down onto his knees. "Now you're both free; come with me, where you'll never be slaves again."

The close friends looked at each other before latching themselves onto him. The man smiled as he stood with two little angels in his arms. He exited the inn, never looking back as he left the girl's unhappy pasts behind him and as he led them towards a better future.


	2. Chapter 2

**Fighting Chance**

**I do not own Les Misérables or any of the songs.**

**SUMMARY:**

**Cosette and Eponine were both taken from the innkeeper's abusive home and given a second chance under Jean Valjean's wings.**

**A NOTE FROM THE AUTHORESS:**

**This little story was inspired by two lovely FanFictions- **_**Les Trésors de Mes Jours d'Automne**_** written by** **Sasha Snape and **_**Le Destin est Immuable**_** written by MidnightWren. I suggest going and checking them out if you like this story.**

Cosette and Eponine were being carried by their new papa, who had refused to let them walk in bare feet. They soon arrived at a carriage that was waiting for them near the town square. Valjean settled his daughters inside before rapping on the ceiling of the carriage, telling the driver to go. The carriage went with a jerk that sent the two girls tumbling to the carpeted floor.

"Now, I only thought that I would have one child, but seeing as how God had other plans in mind, I'll have to go shopping for more things tomorrow," he announced with a kind smile. "In the meantime, you two look like you could need a nice warm meal." He reached under his seat and came up with a loaf of warm bread, ripe cheese, two apples, and a small flask of cider. He chuckled as he watched his daughter wolf down their meal. He didn't like how thin they were- he knew that he had to plump them up before they could be deemed as healthy.

_I'll work on their manners later_, he thought as he reached under the seat again and came up with a warm blanket, which he wrapped around his two daughters.

His daughters.

He never thought that he would be raising a child, nonetheless two. He smiled as he looked at the wonderful gifts that God had granted him with. He could tell that Cosette and Eponine would be stunning children, once they were cleaned up and put into nice dresses.

Once the two friends had finished eating, they curled up next to each other and fell asleep, looking like little angels, even in their beggar appearances. As he watched them, he suddenly got an idea…

A few minutes later, they arrived at Jean Valjean's newly bought home, number 55 Rue Plumet. He payed the driver before scooping the two girls into his arms and carrying them inside, up the stairs and into their new room. It was a rather large bedroom, with French doors that led onto a spacious balcony, a window seat that looked out onto the front yard, and high ceilings. There was a generous size four poster bed with velvet cream drapery and a small wooden chest at the foot, but that was all that Valjean could get before going to rescue his daughters.

He tucked his daughters into bed before retreating to his own room to make a list of things that he would need to buy to ensure his daughters' happiness.

A few hours later, Valjean was jerked from his lists by a small voice.

"Papa?"

He turned and smiled at Eponine, who looked oddly out of place in the grand home in the tattered dress.

"Yes Eponine?" he asked her kindly.

"Can I have a bath? I feel so itchy," she complained. Valjean smiled at her and stood up, taking her by the hand and finding Cosette hiding behind her friend.

"Why didn't I think of it earlier? Bath time," he ordered them gently, leading them to the washroom.

Once the girls were in the tub, splashing each other and turning the washroom into an ocean, Valjean washed their hair with scented soaps and scrubbed their bodies clean until there wasn't a speck of dirt on them. And after he was satisfied that they were dirt fee, he lifted them from the tub and dried them thoroughly with a fine towel.

When Valjean when to help them into their nightgowns, he found scars from past beatings marring their perfect bodies. It took everything he had not to go back to the inn and kill the people responsible for the abuse.

"Tomorrow, I'll go out and get some medicine for these scars," he announced, gently tracing a slash that went from Eponine's neck to shoulder.

"But they don't hurt anymore Papa!" protested Eponine, whose fair olive skin contracted strongly with her dark red curls and emerald green eyes. Cosette on the other hand, had blonde curls and blue eyes, which went well with her fair complexion.

"They may not hurt, but I want for you both to look perfect," smiled Valjean, scooping up both girls into his arms once more and carrying them back to their shared room, where he tucked them in and kissed them goodnight. "Sleep well, _ma petite_ Cosette. Sleep well, _ma petite_ Eponine," he murmured before blowing out all but one of the candles and leaving them to sleep.

_Ma petite_ Cosette~ my little Cosette

_Ma petite_ Eponine-my little Eponine


End file.
